For many, the term “vanilla extract” is enough for them to know that it will be a sweet, creamy flavor. But there are actually different types of vanilla extracts, some with unique flavors in addition to the typical sweet flavor. Even though vanilla extract is one of the most popular cooking ingredients in homes across America and around the world, it’s not as easy to understand as we may think at first glance. Here are five things anyone who has ever used this ingredient should know about what does vanilla extract taste like:
1) Vanilla Extracts Are Made From Pure Vanilla Beans – Each type of extract is made from a specific bean or beans that have been ‘sweated’ or fermented for 12-16 hours. There are four different types of vanilla beans that are used: Madagascar, China, Tahiti, and Mexican. Each bean finds its way into a type of vanilla extract.
2) They Are Used In Chocolate – Some people may not think of it this way, but the vanilla bean is used in almost everything from chocolate bars to brownies to cakes. And especially in fruit-based desserts. Vanilla extract is usually added after chocolate has been mixed with other ingredients.
3) Be Prepared To Think About The Flavor – If you’ve ever made one out of pure vanilla beans (which I HIGHLY recommend), then you know that the flavor is known for being very rich and complex (many say mysterious!). Some people find this flavor almost too sweet or overwhelming.
4) Weakness Is Not An Option – As in the case of many other things when it comes to cooking, you’ll want to make sure that your vanilla extract has a high alcohol content (usually around 70-80%). This will ensure that your extract is potent and strong.
5) There’s A Difference Between ‘Vodka’ And ‘Vanilla Extract’ – Even though both are made from vanilla beans, there is a difference between the two. “Vanilla vodka” is made from any type of alcohol, while “vanilla extract” is an actual substance that has been fermented and canned in an amber-colored liquid.
Does vanilla extract have a taste?
“It’s a very sweet, brown, oily extract. It’s not something you want to use in a lot of things,” said chef John Currence.
“I don’t taste it at all because I’m not used to it, but I’ve made (vanilla extract) before and the texture is pretty nice,” said runner-up Cheryl Fiore.
Chef Adam Roberts said he used vanilla bean paste at home, but wasn’t a fan of the flavor. He was also surprised that it can be used in coffee and tea.
The chef did say that he bought Vanilla Extract as a bulk item and found that it has no taste whatsoever… “It does not have an aroma or taste. It’s just a brown liquid.”
The 3rd runner up in the competition was Karen Traviss who also said that she’s used it as a cooking ingredient, but didn’t like it much. She said it tasted like cough medicine or perfume to her.
Chef John Currence did come prepared with a little bag of vanilla extract. When asked what he thought of it, he said, “It’s not bad. It does have an interesting flavor.”
One judge commented on the smell of the vanilla extract when he opened the bag: “When you open it up and you smell these beans and there’s this beautiful aroma coming from them, then you realize that this is going to be something special. It’s a noble ingredient.”
To find out who won the competition, click here .
“I don’t think it has a taste,” John Currence said. “It’s just a brown, oily extract.” The chef and executive chef at Lilette in New Orleans agreed that vanilla extract isn’t for cooking. “Instead of using vanilla extract in sauces, I use real vanilla bean,” Chef John said. He went on to say it should not be used if you’re making something sweet, but added that it can be used in savory dishes.
The winner of the Three Cheers International Vanilla Extract Competition was the chef at Frenchie’s Restaurant in New York City.
What is vanilla supposed to taste like?
I am looking for the correct proportions to make vanilla extract. I’m making it for the first time. Can anyone walk me through the process or tell me what the vanilla is supposed to taste like? If you have some recipes that use homemade vanilla please let me know!
What does real vanilla extract taste like?
Well, because real vanilla extract is made with real vanilla beans, I find it to be very much similar to a well-browned butter and sugar combination. Not as sweet though. I think you would really enjoy using fresh vanilla in your desserts, if you’re one of those who craves real/fresh ingredients. I use organic, vanilla beans when I make my own extract and I let it sit in the bottles for 4 months. I usually go through 2 bottles a year.
What does homemade vanilla smell like?
Homemade vanilla extract has the same smell as real natural vanilla beans. When you open it, you will notice they are exposed and are soaked in alcohol like a pickle is. But that’s just too much info to share, don’t you think? It depends on what type of fragrance your perfume has without any other essential oils that can be added to enhance the smell.
If you have vanilla beans in the bottle, then it means that you have made your own or are going to make your own extract. Normally homemade extracts do not use alcohol but use vodka instead because it’s very inexpensive. The smell of real vanilla beans is strong and can be very overpowering and I suggest that you make a test batch before doing this for the whole batch. I know the smell is inviting but don’t allow yourself to smell it all day long because it can leave an odor in your home and on your skin.
Recipe for vanilla extract:
When you make your own, it requires less work than buying ready-made blends of vanilla extract. You can store it in a cool place and keep it as long as you want because they’re real vanilla beans. If you’re going to use homemade, then use 1 ounce of vanilla beans for 1 cup of alcohol. Take your bottle and add real vanilla beans, which should be sliced and placed inside the bottle. Then take a plastic wrap and cover it with it, so that the alcohol can go through the beans. Let it sit for about two weeks before using or coating your gifts with them.
Recipe for homemade vanilla extract:
2 cups vanilla beans
2 whole cinnamon sticks
Put everything into a glass jar or bottle and seal tightly before letting them sit inside your cupboard until they are ready to be used by you.
The recipe says it takes 2 days to make but I will only leave them for a week as I made my own in batches.
I put it in the fridge instead of the freezer.
When you open your bottle, then you will see that they have a lot of moisture because they were exposed (unsealed) and were not frozen when you did this. You need to leave it sealed until you are ready to use them then seal away and let sit for at least 7 days before using. To remove the vanilla beans, simply scrape them out with a teaspoon or whatever spoon-like utensil you have at hand.
Once you have scraped all the beans out, then add a drop of vodka as it is not recommended to use grain alcohol as it can damage your extract.
If you want to make it in a cooking pot, then you need to put everything into a saucepan and heat them on top of the stove or in your microwave until the alcohol cooks away. The alcohol will be left behind and will evaporate. Once it has done this, then add 2 more cups of vodka and allow another week before using again. Then let them sit for 4 months for at least before using again. This way, your extract will be very potent.
My extracts have been in the cupboard for 5 months and I’m going to make another batch because I don’t want to waste them.
Coconut-Vanilla Bean Nectar
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used homemade)
2 cups unsweetened coconut nectar or agave syrup*
10 drops stevia plus and if you like it sweeter add a little more
Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds, insert wooden sticks into each mold, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Why does vanilla smell so good but taste bad?
Vanilla is a key ingredient in both pastry and food items. Vanilla is one of the less expensive spices and it is used extensively in desserts and confectionery. In addition, vanilla dates back to the 16th century when the Spanish first began using it as a flavoring. The beans are not essential ingredients but are used primarily to give vanilla its rich flavor. The fragrance can be very strong, with aromas of sweet, woody hay that have been likened to honey, molasses, anise, violet leaves or pumpkin pie filling; while they share these aromas they are quite different from them. In fact, real vanilla extract can be identified by its woody aroma and a slightly bitter taste. By comparison, artificial vanilla extract is more potent in aroma, has a stronger sweetness to it and lacks the strong bitterness of real vanilla extract.
Why does vanilla smell so good but taste bad? The reason for this is that artificial vanilla does not contain any bean solids and is entirely made from synthetic chemicals with a sweet taste to them. While these chemicals may give off an intense flavor initially, they do not linger on the tongue like natural extracts do. Real vanilla beans on the other hand contain volatile organic compounds that are responsible for its unique aromatic properties as well as some of the chemical compounds responsible for its flavor.
The difference between real and artificial vanilla is just in the synthetics that have been used to replace the natural ingredients.
How can you tell if something tastes like real vanilla beans?
When you go to buy something and it smells like some sort of food, then that’s a sure sign that it’s got some kind of flavor in it. When you smell something, then you’re smelling chemicals. If the smell is familiar, then you’re probably smelling real vanilla. This is what differentiates real vanilla from artificial vanilla. In truth though, there is no way of telling which one tastes better or even which one smells better unless you’ve had both so that should be noted as well. What you need to know is that vanilla beans and extract both have woody aromas with a slight bitter taste.
If your food or potion smells like vanilla extract then it is most likely artificial unless it contains real vanilla beans. That is the only thing that will give you the strong woody aroma. If it has no odor, then it’s probably synthetic and doesn’t contain any of the bean solids or oils. The best way to test this out is by adding some drops of real vanilla oil to an alcohol base, which should yield a rich, sticky scent that burns on heating. If not, then you should contact the manufacturer about this immediately because there are serious concerns about what solvent was used when making the fragrance.
Anyway, that’s all I really have to say about vanilla. Since this is some research about it, I hope that you enjoyed reading this and hope that you learned a little something as well. If there are any questions or if anyone wants to discuss about this then please comment below. Also, please share this with your friends and family on social networks. Thanks for reading!
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